Demigod
by nightbug
Summary: AU. The Planet seeks new Guardians to watch over Midgar. Young and inexperienced Cloud is forcefully recruited. However, the hardened Midgar Guardians are unprepared for the boy from the backwater town of Nibelheim. They're in for a surprise. SLASH.
1. Advent

**Demigod** by _nightbug_

* * *

Chapter One: Advent

* * *

He was born on a cloudy day. The skies over Midgar were thick with them, a dry storm over the desert. As if uncomfortable with the dark atmosphere of impending rain, pure white clouds broke away from the mammoth thunderheads and floated over to distant Nibelheim.

The sun shone oddly brightly that day over the small mountain village. The skies were a clear blue and dotted with clean white puffs. The village had been coated in a layer of freshly fallen snow from the night before, still untouched by all but a single trail of footprints.

From far below, a pregnant woman looked skyward, and could have sworn she heard the sound of a baby's cry. As if echoing it, she suddenly fell over, clutching her belly. Villagers rushed out to help her as soon as the first pained gasp escaped her parted lips.

* * *

"My baby?" The soft voice called from the bed.

"Congratulations, Strife. It's a boy." A woman's voice informed her kindly.

"He looks just like his father." The new mother said with a smile. She brushed her fingers lightly through the child's hair, marveling and its downy softness. Slowly, blue eyes opened, gazing at his mother in wonder. "My child." She murmured lovingly. She trailed a finger down the boy's cheek, tracing and memorizing every line of her child's face.

The baby responded in kind, leaning into the touch.

"He's being sent to the Planet." The mid-wife said abruptly. She bit down uncomfortably on the inside of her cheek to keep from frowning. It was wrong of her to have broken the bonding moment, but the mother needed to know as soon as possible.

"What?" Surprise washed over Strife's face, startling the infant.

"Director Lazard has already appointed him to become one of Gaia's guardians." The mid-wife continued.

"So soon? He hasn't even shown any signs of potential yet." The woman said worriedly, cradling her newborn closer to her chest.

"Yes. The director had a particular interest in him. I'm sorry." The mid-wife said sounding genuinely apologetic.

Her charge simply shook her head, understanding the situation. While rare, it happened on occasion that infants were appointed with a task that had been pre-determined.

"A name?" The mid-wife asked, indicating the baby. Until the newborn was properly christened, he could not receive his gift or his curse.

Strife looked down lovingly on her child's features, still innocent and untouched by the world. She closed her eyes and touched her forehead to her child's.

"Cloud." She murmured, and pressed a gentle kiss on her baby's tender forehead. A symbol appeared where her lips had met the infant's skin, marking him as one of hers, a Strife. Then it faded and she opened her eyes with a regretful sigh. With that her baby vanished from her grasp, leaving her now empty arms with only a lingering warmth.

* * *

Lazard stared at the newborn, curiosity lighting his eyes. He had never thought that Strife would actually bear a child, and it was such an odd one. Blonde haired, round faced, and frail in appearance, Lazard studied the child as if it were a strange thing. Not too many of their kind was born so young looking. He looked like a Chocobo chick. Only the baby's eyes, clear and comprehending, assured the director of his decision.

"Your mother moved you to a good place." He said idly. They floated over Nibelheim, a small and clean region that was near perfect for beginners, with the exception of one rather large thorn. "It's really too bad that we're short on guardians. I had wished that you would have been able to stay by your mother's side for even just a moment longer, but we have no time to waste."

He held the infant above the land below. "This is Nibelheim. It's a rough land, but it's pure. It's the kindest place I can offer right now. It will be your training ground, your test. Tame it and the beast that guards it, and then you can return." He spoke clearly, enunciating the task to the baby with the curiously clear blue eyes, who understood every word.

Lazard smiled. Then he dropped the child and watched as it plummeted toward the ground.

"Your first test." Lazard said quietly. "Landing."

Cloud fell, tumbling through the sky with hardly a sound. The white puffs that were his namesake parted easily before him, feather-light cushions that barely slowed him down. Even still, as the earth rushed up towards him at impossible speeds, he rotated once to face it.

Cloud crashed into the earth. The air itself cracked, as if announcing his arrival, yet all he left were footprints in the snow.

The director's small smile widened. Descending wouldn't have been a problem for any one of them, but he was pleased to see how neatly the child had performed it. A drop from the Heavens could be difficult for some. The child displayed a particularly high aptitude for someone so young, even if he was a newborn God.

"One last thing." Lazard continued. "The name of the guardian beast."

Cloud looked up as a massive clawed paw took up the expanse of his vision. He raised his head to meet the gaze of a monstrously huge creature. It was all heavy black fur and large sharp teeth in a snapping jaw. Thick muscles rippled beneath the darkened hide. The beast lowered its head and growled, its brightly glowing eyes shining green.

"Fenrir." Cloud whispered in awe.

The colossal wolf glared down at the tiny cub that dared stand up to him, and roared.

* * *

Happy October! 'Tis the season for Theme Park Merry-Making! This is, sadly, one of my favorite seasons to go Theme Park visiting since all the parks and rides are Halloween'ed out. I write this in celebration!


	2. Assignment

Chapter Two: Assignment

* * *

Floating over Midgar, Zack sighed. The city was a veritable cesspool. Toxins invisible to the human eye hung heavily over the land as shadowy wisps. He wrinkled his nose in distaste as he watched one of the wisps encircle a man and burrow deeply into his chest. Zack recognized the look.

Anger, jealousy, rage, the man burned with all three negative emotions. The sap had probably been had or two-timed by some woman. If left alone, the feelings would fester within the man's heart and eventually spawn more of the shadows before evolving into full fledged wicked beasts, and that would give Zack more work. He growled as he debated what he should do.

All across the city, thousands more were infected in the same manner, their hearts blackened by the raging negativity. It was hard to breathe sometimes.

Vaguely, Zack recalled the old days. It was simpler back then. A corrupted monster or herd would crop up, the Guardians would be sent down to smite them, and all would be well. It was never boring either. There was much smiting to be had.

Dealing with human hearts was a much more delicate and fragile operation.

Zack wielded a massive blade. Zack didn't do delicate and fragile, at least when he could help it.

Snorting, Zack descended swiftly, landing in the outskirts of Midgar in a small puff of dust. He contemplated entering the city, finding the man who had just let the black thoughts into his mind, and promptly flopped backwards into the dirt.

"Sephiroth!" He called out loudly. "Where the hell's our back-up?" He whined.

"We only put in the request about two decades ago." A deep voice pointed out. The silver-haired General shimmered effortlessly into existence beside him, staring at his subordinate throwing a tantrum on the ground. "With the bureaucracy as it is, we should have our request fulfilled in another five years or so."

"What?" Zack shot to his feet. "I thought I told you to stamp it 'EXPEDITE'!"

A small smile tugged at Sephiroth's lips. "You did. And as I recall, you took it upon yourself to stamp it a few extra dozen times as well." He said dryly.

"I wanted to make sure they got the message." Zack pouted. "Damn, when's the next monster uprising gonna happen? People usually band together and all that crap when the shit hits the fan. In peacetime, they just let themselves waste away into mean little midgets." He complained.

"We're not just monster-slayers, Zack." Sephiroth said reasonably. "We're Guardians meant to keep the Lifestream of the Planet pure."

Zack snorted again. "Keeping _that_," he pointed at the thick swell of shadows that inhabited Midgar, "_out_ of the Lifestream isn't a walk in the park. They could at least send more than just the two of us. We've been stationed here for the last century and a half. I'm BORED!" He plopped back down into the dirt.

Sephiroth shook his head. "They sent the _top_ two Guardians that they had. Don't forget how highly you're ranked. There's a reason why you were sent here, and not some low level monster hunter."

"Keh. Hunters probably would have rendered half of these hearts as useless anyways." The dark haired God tossed his head in the direction of the city. "Poor fools don't know how hard we have to work to keep them intact."

"Exactly. And you're good at reading human hearts anyways. Well, as good as we could get."

"Oh?" Zack sat up and raised a brow. "Was that a compliment I heard?" He cupped his ear and leaned toward Sephiroth.

"No. It was a fact." The silver-haired Guardian stated. "And at the first sign of someone better than you at reading human hearts, you'll be booted out of here faster than a Chocobo can sneeze."

Zack laughed. "That'd be a relief. If I could leave for a bit of R n' R, I'd be kicking it back all the way home. I miss my ma and pop. I'm sure they'd be proud of their strappin' young lad."

Green eyes raked over the well-muscled Guardian who sat in Midgar's dust. Zack sometimes lapsed back into the dialect that proved he wasn't a city-born Guardian. It was something that Sephiroth was both envious and wary. For one, he had always been posted over the blackened and tainted Midgar, and had never seen what Zack often described as 'clean' land. Wistfully, he would have liked to visit it at least once or twice, if only to experience what Zack deemed was 'real breathing.'

On the other hand, he wasn't sure if he wanted to see something so different from what he had ever known. Scurrying humans with their weak black hearts he could deal with. A revitalized land that thrummed with life and didn't truly need his skills, he wasn't sure what to think about it.

"Don't worry 'bout it." Zack said with a nonchalant wave. "Just cuz you're the naive little city boy, don't mean that the people of Gongaga won't welcome you with open arms."

"Must I remind you that it was this 'naive little city boy' that fished you out of Midgar's sewage after you had been swindled, robbed, and stripped naked as the day you were born on the first day you arrived?" Sephiroth shot back coolly.

"Eh, that wasn't what it looked like!" Zack said defensively. "I was just testing out the waters, um, so to speak."

"Of Midgar's septic tank, I'm sure."

Zack's ever so witty comeback was interrupted by a soft crack. Black shoes and a blue suit topped with vibrant red stumbled out of the ensuing dust cloud.

Reno let loose with a colorful string of curses before righting himself and proceeding to brush off the tawny particles that clung to his suit. "You guys are a bitch to find." He muttered.

"Isn't that the point of Midgar?" Zack replied staring at the Turk, the messengers and information gatherers for the Guardians.

"Keh." Reno adjusted his jacket, as if it made any difference to his dusty appearance. "Got a message for you guys from HQ. Good news! Your back-up's being processed." The red head grinned brightly and spread his hands out as if he were the bearer of the greatest news.

The other two stared at him.

"But...?" Zack prompted.

Reno's grin only widened. "What? Aren't you guys happy? This is exactly what you guys have been wanting to hear, right?"

"Bullshit." Zack muttered. "If it were good news, they would have sent Elena. They only send you if they're looking to get rid of you, or if there ain't such good news to be had, and you're not limping." The dark haired man snagged a stick and thwacked the Turk firmly in the leg with it.

The last time Reno had shown up, half his face was swelled up to the size of a melon and he sported a distinctive lean to the left when trying to walk a straight line. Zack had to dig up the story from Rude, and that was one hard nut to crack. Apparently, Reno had one of his infamous hare-brained schemes to cut down their paperwork.

Instead of sending out one Guardian to fight monsters, why not just send the monsters to fight each other?

So, the Turk had rounded up a whole herd of vicious beasts, and built a Coliseum around them. Once he had gone that far, he figured he might as well take it a step further and make a little extra Gil on the side. Elena had found the red head in a visor and a poorly made apron, shouting out the latest bids on the final match between a Midgar Zolom and a Razor Weed.

Infuriated at seeing the reason why Reno hadn't reported in for the past week, and why she had to be called back to HQ early, she slew all the beasts, then used Reno's face to break down the Coliseum. Of course she wouldn't be done without a single good kick and heel grind to the back of Reno's knee. Then she angrily shoved his past due paperwork at him and swore that he was lucky that she was out of bullets.

"If you had that much energy to waste on building that monstrosity, the _least_ you could do would be to clear out the _rest _of the monsters from the fields you gathered them from." She shrieked. She snagged at Reno's box of bet money on her way out, claiming that it wasn't even a fraction of what he owed her, which was true but he hadn't been counting at that point.

After that, the redhead got to report back to Tseng, and was sent on his merry mission to descend to Midgar with less than pleasant news for the stationed Guardians.

That was when the two had found out that their request for additional temporary personnel around Midgar had been denied due to being understaffed. Their previous request for additional permanent staff was still pending.

Zack had thrown a fit. They had come in from a bad day at that time. Some zealous woman, convinced that the world was ending, had cooked up some insane plot to find salvation by blowing up their apartment building. Shadows had been twined so deeply within her that Zack had spent hours extracting just enough for her to hesitate on detonating the explosives and possibly killing herself, her children, and countless others.

Unfortunately, the woman's grasp on reality was tenuous at best, and when wandering the depths of a human heart, Zack ended up experiencing nearly everything the woman had right up to her breakdown.

Reno had arrived while Zack was still edgy from the long and involved operation, and unabashedly informed the Guardians of the bad news. Then, the undauntable redhead continued with a string of words that added up to the fact that the two overworked Guardians would have to kick it up another notch since Midgar still looked like the Planet's craphole.

Grinning, Zack had smacked the already bruised Reno hard enough to make the other side of his face swell up. They both had known he deserved it, but still, it left a bad feeling in Zack's mouth to lose control like that, even if Reno was the worst possible person to deal with volatile personalities.

The brash redhead had more experience with the sharp and pointy tip of the Masamune than most other beings who were still alive.

"So what's the rest of the news?" Zack pressed.

"My face is all better too, thanks for asking." Reno said snarkily.

"Oh, I hadn't noticed a difference." The dark haired Guardian smiled widely. "I can fix that for you, if you wanted."

Reno backed up with hands raised. "Lemme finish. The new Guardian should be on his way here within the next few days." A smile tugged at his lips. "His name's Cloud, and he's from Nibelheim."

Zack crowed happily. "Another country boy! Damn, it's been a while. With all you urban nuts around, I thought I was gonna go crazy. Now you guys'll see how a _real_ man lives!"

"Hicks." Reno smirked with no real heat. He was street born himself, and knew that where a person came from was no reason to judge them.

"You're just jealous 'cause I'm gonna have a new playmate real soon!" Zack piped back.

Sephiroth was a touch more skeptical. "Is there anything else you're neglecting to inform us of, Reno?" He asked in a voice that resembled more of a purr. His fingers danced lightly on the edge of Masamune's hilt.

Reno's eyes flickered briefly over the way gloved hands were lovingly stroking the handle of a very long and dangerous weapon. The Turk kept his composure well, smiling brightly. "Nope. Cloud's expected to arrive before the end of the week. That's all."

"Reno." Sephiroth said softly.

The redhead froze, just moments before vaulting back to Heaven's HQ.

"Cloud is such an odd name." The General continued quietly. "Strange I haven't heard of him before." He mused out loud.

"He's a newborn, no more than twenty years old. About the time you put in your request, I believe." Reno reported. He smiled carelessly.

To be honest, he didn't have that much information on the kid. He was some backwater boy who had been stationed in Nibelheim since birth. The town was a dinky thing, barely a speck on the map. No one knew anything about it except for some old reports on some kind of beast living there. Since the creature never left Nibelheim, no other data was written up.

Reno _had_ gotten his thumbs in some rumors though.

Apparently the beast was an ancient Guardian of sorts, but born long before the current generation of Guardians. It was a type that existed before man and took the form of creatures that roamed the Planet before Gaia had created the Cetra. After the birth of the Cetra, man had followed, and with them, the new Guardians had come.

For whatever reason, the beast Guardian had never left Nibelheim, and Cloud was the first of the new Guardians to have ever been stationed there. It probably had something to do with his birthright.

The ancient Guardian had been strong though, more powerful than even the General. But because of his form, he couldn't purify the hearts of humans. Gaia had placed the beast in the mountains to protect, before it slowly became inhabited by humans as well. It was the last town that had believed in the Old Ways.

That was the place Cloud had supposedly been raised in. Besides that and the name of his mother, Reno hadn't found anything else. He didn't even know what the brat looked like. He would have liked to get some hands on first hand data but Reno hadn't had the time to go to Nibelheim to research any of it before he was dragged back by the ear and jetted off to Midgar to deliver Lazard's message.

Rumors weren't going to cut it when dealing with those two. If only he had been able to talk to at least Kunsel before leaving, he thought wistfully. He would know more dirt. The lucky bastard was stationed in Mideel though, too far a detour to take without being noticed.

"Convenient." Sephiroth said simply.

"Yeah, isn't it?" Reno said off-handedly. "Well gotta go. You know, Turk stuff." The redhead spoke quickly, edging away. Just as he was about to jump, something flashed in Sephiroth's eyes.

"What's his family name?"

Reno grinned. Ding ding! The General asked the winning question. "Strife." He answered, bolting back to Heaven at the same time.

Just as he left, he heard the beginning of the silver-haired man's swear.

"What's wrong with that?" Zack asked, twirling around his sword for the sake of moving. He couldn't bear to stand still for too long.

Sephiroth's lips thinned. Zack wasn't from around here. He wouldn't know. "The Strifes are eccentrics." He replied carefully.

"Woah, really?" Zack's eyebrows rose slightly, knowing his partner would use the word 'eccentric' lightly.

"Yes."

The dark haired man shrugged. "Doesn't sound too bad though. He's a country boy _and_ we finally get our back-up. How bad could it be?"

Sephiroth just shook his head.

* * *

Lazard was an implacable man. He was patient, diligent, and collected. He was regarded as one of the most level-headed in their department. He had to be after dealing with Guardians from all over the Planet. However, this strange meeting was enough to shake even the steeliest of nerves.

"Cloud Strife." He began calmly.

The blonde who sat across his desk nodded. He was a young man who appeared to be still in his late teens. He was taller, lean and toned, with hair as wild as ever, but his clear blue eyes were the same. Behind him, a titanic wolf yawned. Massive jaws opened, revealing long ivory fangs that were larger than his forearms, and a huge muscular tongue lolled out. Then the enormous mouth snapped shut, kicking up a breeze that sent the papers on Lazard's desk whirling.

"You've brought Fenrir with you, I see." He said, eyeing the wolf cautiously.

"He doesn't like to be left alone, sir." The blonde stated, lifting an arm to fist a handful of dark shaggy fur. His strong fingers dug in and the wolf growled his approval.

Lazard cleared his throat and laced his fingers together over his desk.

Though his office was of a generous size, the giant wolf took up nearly two-thirds of the space with his body alone. At the moment, he was curled up around the short blonde Guardian in the chair like a dog at his master's back. Lazard knew that their relationship was not as such, but when he had initially told Cloud to tame the beast of Nibelheim, he hadn't expected them to forge such a strong bond. Cloud had gone far beyond what he had anticipated, and now he was stuck in an enclosed space with an ancient Guardian.

The effect of the immense wolf's head just a meter or so from his desk was a touch unnerving.

The beast was intelligent as well. For all Lazard knew, Fenrir was the smartest creature on the Planet. He was literally as old as the hills, and wise enough to know how to protect them without interfering with humans. Lazard couldn't underestimate him just because the Guardian couldn't speak.

The wolf canted a golden eye in his direction, as if appraising him. Then he snuffed, surprising the director. Cloud actually smiled. The corners of his lips tilted upwards in an innocent expression that reminded the man of just how _young_ the boy still was, but perhaps that was the effect of the giant wolf beside him. He couldn't overlook the blonde's abilities simply because he appeared to be a child. That, and the fact that Cloud understood what Fenrir had 'said'.

"That's mean." Cloud murmured into the fur of the ancient Guardian. "I'm sure he doesn't mean anything by it."

"Have I offended him in any way?" Lazard asked, wanting to clear up any misconceptions as soon as possible. He needed their cooperation.

Cloud shook his head. "Fenrir said you stink."

"I'm sorry?" The Director was taken aback by the blunt statement.

"Your perfume." The young Guardian clarified.

Cologne, Lazard thought to himself. Out loud he said, "I see. I didn't realize that it would come off so strong. My apologies."

Again, that sweet smile tilted the young blonde's lips. It lit up his face and really was beautiful. Lazard had to pause to clear his head a bit. The effect of the Strife's smile was quite dazzling. Then Cloud spoke in that utterly straightforward manner.

"No, it's not that. He says it makes you womanly."

Fenrir snorted, and Lazard knew the wolf was laughing at him. Well, at least he had a sense of humor. He leaned back, attempting to relax. This was supposed to be serious.

"Cloud." He began. "You've done well at your post at Nibelheim. You've accomplished your mission and surpassed all expectations," he tilted his head toward Fenrir. "It has been deemed by the higher ups that you should be re-assigned to another location that could better utilize your abilities. I'm going to relocate you to Midgar where you'll complete your formal training with two senior Guardians before given an official post there."

The blonde nodded.

"When do we leave?" He asked.

"We?" Lazard raised a brow. Surely he didn't mean...

"Fenrir and I travel together. He's my partner." Cloud said frankly.

Apparently he did mean that.

That golden gaze was fixed on him once more, the fur on Fenrir's neck raised. Lazard nearly struggled to meet it.

"Only your re-assignment has been approved." The director explained. "If both of you leave, then Nibelheim will be without a Guardian."

"I won't leave without him." Cloud said stubbornly.

Nor would the wolf allow him even if he had been willing, Lazard knew without even reading Fenrir's narrowed stare. They really needed extra hands in Midgar. The city was declining at a rate even their top two Guardians couldn't prevent, and Cloud was exactly the fresh talent they required.

Nibelheim itself was in fairly pristine condition. With the ancient Guardian gone, they could send trainees to take care of it. The village was a simple one, and would use a monster-hunter far more than a heart-cleanser type. He could file the paperwork for a trainee or two as soon as Cloud and Fenrir were on their way.

"Very well. I'll approve the transfer of both Guardians to Midgar. But I must warn you, the city is a place very much different from Nibelheim. I cannot guarantee how well your partner will fare in the new environment." Lazard warned. The last thing he needed was for the ancient Guardian to go feral in a city full of shadows. The clean up would be a colossal effort, not to mention the paperwork that would be involved.

"Thank you, sir." Cloud said gratefully, digging a hand into Fenrir's fur, soothing him.

The director produced two sheets of paper. "Here are your re-assignment forms. You're scheduled to leave tomorrow, so you have the rest of today off. Before you leave though, I'm sure that there is something you'd like to do." A small smile pulled at Lazard's lips. "I've arranged it so that you can meet with your mother."

Blue eyes widened. Then his expression melted. "Thank you, sir." He repeated, his voice no more than a soft whisper. He beamed at the director, a face of pure joy.

For a split second, Lazard could have sworn that his heart skipped a beat. Then it was gone. He redirected his gaze to his desk, thankful that his hands were laced in front of him. It kept his fingers still, instead of curling into nervous fists like they seemed to want to do.

"Not at all, Cloud." He said coolly, managing to retain his air of professionalism. "It was something you were looking forward too, I'm sure. She's already in Nibelheim. You'll know how to find her."

"Yes." The happiness that bled into that single word could not be aptly described.

Lazard couldn't look up. "You're dismissed." He said with a wave of his hand.

Cloud stood with a salute that went unseen. The papers disappeared from his desk. He felt more than heard the muted shifting in the room as Fenrir stood to follow Cloud, the clicking of his claws against the polished flooring signaling their exit. When the door finally closed, Lazard let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding.

He raked a hand through his hair. That child was something. Innocence, boldness, and a candid guilelessness that was a rarity nowadays all bundled up in a youth who had an ancient Guardian for a partner. The Strifes certainly were an eclectic type. Midgar wouldn't know what hit it.

* * *

Onto chapter two already. Oh boy! Thank you for the positive reviews. And yes, I am certainly enjoying myself at Theme Parks. Has anyone gone to Knott's Scary Farm yet? That's next on my list. I'm so excited.


	3. Arrival

Chapter Three: Arrival

* * *

Ever since she could remember, Tifa had been told that she had been born on an auspicious day. The old ladies of the village liked to tell her that a God had come to Nibelheim on the day she had been born, to bless her. While Tifa didn't truly believe the old biddies, she knew that something strange had happened on her birth date.

The records in the library had stated that the skies had been suspiciously clear in the morning, before a storm had blown in unexpectedly. It was a strange storm that no one had anticipated and had blanketed the village in darkness and cold white for three weeks. The superstitious had called it a test from the Heavens. The younger generation had thought of it as a freak storm.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it abruptly ended. The thick clouds that had covered Nibelheim for weeks, cleared up without warning. That was also the first time that the infant Tifa had opened her eyes. Because of that, coincidence or not, Tifa was regarded as a special child. The elders adored her, and she was given special treatment by the adults, being treated with all the rights if she had been born a boy.

Even with that, the elders who clung to the older ways regarded her as something mystical. Few others did, but her family was pleased to have a 'son'. Girls born in winter were seen as bad luck. As long as she had the blessing of the Gods, then the stigma she was born with would be nullified. Her parents were grateful for that small fortunate thing, but that was all. Whatever else she may have been born with, abilities or potential, they cared little for.

But they couldn't hear the laughing.

During the day, on clear mornings or when the sun was high in the sky, Tifa could hear gentle laughing washing across from the snowy mountains. It was light and cheerful, and so very inviting that sometimes Tifa found herself wandering a mile out of the village, just to chase after it. No one had believed her when she told them about it. She had to explain it to her parents when they had found her nearly frozen on a snowdrift when she was seven.

The elderly had said that they were demons, calling her out to her death. Tifa doubted that. She wasn't sure why, but that pure laughter just felt too free to be something that meant harm to her.

...or that she was schizophrenic.

* * *

Cloud descended fast.

He hurtled to the Planet's surface on the back of Fenrir, his hands digging into the wolf's fur. "Faster." He murmured into the Guardian's ear. The wolf obliged, his powerful legs striding forth once. The wind whipped around them as they accelerated to near suicidal speeds.

The blonde could barely contain a whoop of joy.

They landed in hurried blast that was impossibly silent, Fenrir's paws barely sinking into the snow beneath them. Cloud hopped off, allowing his own boots to fall an inch through the crusted ice. Just a few feet away was the edge of melted snowfall encompassing a warm circle of green grass.

In the center stood a woman who appeared nearly plain against the vivid greenery. She looked wistful and waiting, but there was no mistaking the brightness in her eyes. From her core, she was a vibrant and strong woman.

Softly, Cloud approached, pausing at the edge of the snow. "Mother." He called out, almost shyly.

The woman turned around and smiled. "Cloud."

She beckoned him closer and he met her where she stood, mildly surprised to find himself standing a few inches taller than her. Smiling lovingly, she cupped her child's cheek with her palm and lowered his forehead to meet hers. Softly, Strife murmured words in a language Cloud had never heard before, but understood nonetheless. The words washed over him, warming him. Heat settled in his chest and on the skin of his forehead.

Slowly, Hugr Strife leaned back, admiring the symbol that glowed on the head of her child. He was most definitely her son. She brushed gentle fingers across his bangs.

"You grew too fast." She chastised teasingly, reaching up to ruffle his hair.

Cloud blushed winningly. "I wanted to meet you again, mother." He said shyly. "The director said I could after I finished this assignment."

"Such a good boy." The goddess murmured, kissing his cheeks. A little too good to be honest. He blindly and wholeheartedly believed what Lazard had told him. Her child still had to learn that not all people, no matter how good their intentions, were ever completely truthful. Although, she shot a side glance to the Ancient Guardian who hovered near Cloud's shoulder, _he_ might have something to do with it. Fenrir preserved Cloud's innocence like it was the most precious treasure.

It brought a smile to her lips. Her boy was such a charmer.

Respectfully, Strife bowed her head toward the wolf and whispered her gratitude for watching over her child. Fenrir responded with a look that silently told her that it was something he intended to continue to do.

"Even in Midgar?" She asked, a touch of surprise coloring her tone.

The wolf snorted, _of course._

"There will be other Guardians there." Strife pointed out.

Fenrir raised a brow, _what do you think I'm protecting him _from_?_

"Ah." The goddess nodded in understanding. She shared a smile with her son who seemed to not have followed the conversation. While her child had inherited her feminine looks and strong will, he had yet to grow into the broad frame of his father. She doubted if he ever would.

A brief protective streak flashed through her. If any of those other Guardians dared to lay an impure finger on her son, they would have to deal with the wrath of she who bore the name of _Strife_, just in case they had forgotten why it was their name to bear. The idle thought of making an example of it to Lazard before Cloud left lingered in her mind a moment longer than it should have.

A thought occurred to her then.

"Has he displayed any sign of his potential yet?" She asked, laying a hand on the forearm of her son. Cloud shot her a mildly quizzical look. Fenrir simply shook his massive head.

Hmm.

The wolf had done a splendid job of protecting her child. Her boy had not even yet scratched the well of power within him if his potential was still unknown. Though she was curious herself about what ability he would display, she was not willing to place her son in any amount of danger to find out. A small voice inside of her told her that no matter where on the Planet he would be, when his potential came out, everyone would know it.

As if reading her thoughts, Fenrir laughed suddenly.

His gleaming eyes told her, _as long as I am there to protect him, his potential shall never be realized._

Somehow, the statement felt more like a threat than one that was meant to be reassuring.

"Mother?" Cloud's voice called out questioningly.

Hugr Strife turned to her child, a gentle smiling tilting her lips. She had almost forgotten that the ways of the Ancient Guardians were not the same as theirs. While Fenrir sought to watch over him, Cloud would only be as strong as he needed to be. Absolute power belonged to the Ancient Gods themselves.

"Fenrir was relating to me what a handful you are." She said playfully. "In fact, he mentioned an incident with a snowman…" She trailed off with a keen glance at her son's coloring face.

"That…that was…!" Cloud choked out a barely coherent sentence, recalling with horror, his attempts to produce a human sculpted from snow. He had not been completely sure what humans looked like beneath the several layers of clothing they typically wore, but had seen other children rolling snowmen together. He had incorrectly assumed that humans were made of balls. The innuendo was lost on him, but Fenrir would not forget it, especially after Cloud learned what testicles were.

The wolf turned his head slightly, to better view his charge's discomfort. If his mother knew about that, then she must have checked up on him at least once or twice while he had been on duty. A chuffing laugh broke from his throat.

"And the time where you assumed that the native Nibel wolves were Fenrir's children." She added in a thoughtful tone. "I do wonder how many wolves you checked in trying to find the 'mother' of them all."

Cloud's face turned a darker shade of red. "They weren't being very forthcoming about the answer, and neither was Fenrir." He said in his defense.

The goddess chose not to mention that it was because of the Ancient Guardian's amusement and the Nibel wolves' mortification that had allowed him to continue his curious endeavor for as long as it had gone.

She ran a hand gently through Cloud's hair. "You are a silly boy, but you are my silly boy, and I love you." She murmured, pressing another kiss onto his cheek. Pensively, she cupped her hand behind his head and leaned forward so their foreheads rested on one another.

"We've run out of time, Cloud. There is someone in Midgar you must meet, and I must return to my duties." She said regretfully. Stroking the soft hair beneath her fingers she sighed. "I'll miss you, my dearest child."

"I'll miss you too, mother." Cloud returned, snuggling into the warmth of his mother's hold while he still could.

Slowly, Hugr Strife pulled away, her clear blue eyes searching Cloud's. "Midgar is a very different place. It's a poisonous place where the Planet's Guardians perform their most difficult task. Be careful." She warned.

Cloud nodded, and behind him, Fenrir yawned.

"When you arrive, there will be someone waiting to meet you. Don't worry about whom, when you find her, you'll know." The words were coming out in a rush now. Fenrir was standing as well, ready to leave. "Don't forget what you've learned here." She whispered.

Then Fenrir had lowered his head tapping Cloud in the back with his snout. It was the only warning he had before the wolf had his teeth in Cloud's shirt and had tossed him over his back. With practiced ease, the young Guardian twisted in the air to land, comfortably sitting with his legs stretched around the wolf's neck.

"I won't forget. I promise." He replied. "I'll come back."

"I'll be waiting." With a last teasing smile, his mother waved farewell. "I'm glad that you found yourself a good mate." She said as Fenrir pushed off the ground, ascending before Cloud could sputter a response.

* * *

Tifa stared up in wonder as the massive wolf launched itself into the air. On its back rode a slender blonde that was somehow familiar. She watched them go with a touch loss, suddenly knowing that the source of that haunting laughter had been that blonde boy.

* * *

"It's been days." Zack grumbled.

"Of that, I am well aware." Sephiroth replied. "You've been reminding me for just as long as we've been waiting."

"Just how long does it take to cross continents? It shouldn't take _this_ long." Zack muttered impatiently.

"Processing papers does." Sephiroth pointed out mildly.

"We're _Guardians_." The dark haired man complained, scratching his head. "We should be above paperwork."

"Bureaucracy stands still for no one, not even Guardians." Sephiroth said idly as he neatened a stack of files in his hands. "Speaking of which, Elena dropped by a while ago. Apparently someone had recently dropped in several reports which were two weeks overdue. Strangely though, there were no words written on them. Instead, there are drawings of stick figures in various situations."

Zack favored him with a look of innocence. "They say a picture's worth a thousand words."

Sephiroth remained unmoved. "Redo them." He said, handing him the files.

The younger Guardian groaned. "But they're all correct!"

"Reports are to convey information about current or recent situations."

"And my stick figures do that! See this one?" Zack pointed to a diagram of a man with a gun who had dark scribbles coming from his feet. Behind the gun-toting stick figure was another stick figure with a big sword stabbing the scribbles. "This is that crazy guy who was gonna shoot all those kids. And here I am, saving the day!"

"In words." Sephiroth said firmly.

Zack's face fell and he gathered up the remaining pages, muttering to himself. At hearing the vindictively mumbled "I'll show _you_ words," Sephiroth sighed.

"Real words, in legible writing, that can be read and understood by humans of above baseline level." He rattled off in a flat tone.

Zack paused. "DAMMIT Sephiroth! You just have to go and ruin all my plans!"

"It's what I do." The man replied with a smile.

* * *

With Fenrir's speed, Cloud had arrived in Midgar in a matter of minutes. The wolf really knew how to ascend and descend, even if he had rarely done so the past few thousand years. The pair stood, Cloud's hand resting reassuringly on Fenrir's mane, hovering about a mile or so above Midgar. Their bodies were currently invisible to normal, human eyes. Guardians had the ability to make themselves seen and unseen at will, but Cloud had seldom used it. Nibelheim was safe enough and still tied enough to the Old Ways were the sight of Guardians would not cause a panic.

In the strange Midgar, however, the blonde had erred on the side of caution from Fenrir's prodding. He did as the wolf bade and hid himself from human eyes to observe their new home.

The city was… rank. Cloud wrinkled his nose in distaste.

There were black things all over the city. Worse, the black wiggles were _inside_ people. He could see them infesting hearts and spreading out like little black roots. He had seen something similar in Nibelheim, but nothing as severe. In Nibelheim, there were gray shadows that sometimes attached themselves to people. Sometimes the grayness darkened, but it had never turned such a solid black as what was held in the Midgar.

Cloud saw a man sitting alone in a room. The black things had ensconced themselves so deeply inside his heart that they twined around his very core. The man looked sick, pale and sallow-skinned with hollow cheeks and dead eyes. His hands opened and closed spasmodically. Then, without warning, the man pitched forward, writhing. Black fluid spewed from his lips and oozed over him and onto the floor. From the fluid emerged hard-shelled creatures with sharp claws and large pincers. They raced out from the room, skittering along walls and down pipes, seeking out new hosts as their old one became consumed by the black poison.

Horrified, Cloud watched as the man transformed into a screaming, lumbering beast. The hand buried in Fenrir's fur tightened.

"We have to do something."

* * *

Standing, Reno dusted himself off. His descent had been a bit rough, and the place he had landed wasn't exactly up to his standards. Those guys needed to find a better place to hang out. The outskirts of Midgar's wasteland was a pretty boring place to set up home base. Though, it was probably also the freshest place while still keeping the city in range. With so few humans venturing into the wasteland, there were fewer shadows and wraiths out there too.

"Yo, update." The redhead said with a hand waved in greeting.

The two Guardians spared him an acknowledging wave before returning to their previous positions, Sephiroth hovering over Zack while he filled out his paperwork 'correctly.'

"No need to get all excited." Reno muttered dryly, flipping through a set of notes in his hand. "Anyways, a coupla things going on. One, your back-up is enroute. Two, some Ancients are meandering around the Planet. Three, someone's been doing your job for you. That's about it. See ya." He gave a half-assed salute with the notepad and prepared to jump.

A black gloved hand snaked around his wrist and held him in a viselike grip before Reno could ascend to the safety of the company office.

"What did you mean by that?" Sephiroth asked, his eyes glowing softly.

Not angry, just curious, Reno observed, relaxing slightly. He must have been wondering about the last comment. The first was just an update, and the second tended to happen every so often. It was a quirk of the Ancients. They loved to wander.

The Turk went back to the notes in his hand. "Says here that shadow and wraith activity for Midgar has been down three percent in the past two days. Eradication occured in bursts and were logged during times that you were currently occupied, or had gone unreported."

Sephiroth shot an annoyed glare in Zack's direction, to which the other Guardian feigned innocence.

"Hey, I reported all my cleanses." He said in his defense. "And I never took down anything big enough to cause a drop like that. It takes too long to extract shadows, and wraiths are even worse." Zack waved his pen to emphasize his point. "The last big job I did, we did together, and that hardly put a dent into things. It's hard enough to just keep up with the birth of wraiths, nevermind the shadows."

The silver-haired Guardian had to concede that Zack was correct on the matter. Still, that gave him an odd feeling about the cleanses which were not being performed by the assigned Guardians.

"Tell me," he said stiffly, "has our third Guardian arrived yet?"

Reno shrugged unhelpfully.

"Grand." Sephiroth muttered to himself. So, it was a possibility that the third Guardian had already arrived and preemptively began their work, without waiting for an explanation from them. Diligent, but unwise considering the complexity that cleansing required. They would have to track down their wayward Guardian as soon as possible, before something irreparable happened.

Summoning his sword to him, he strode forward, knowing Zack would quickly follow. They would need each other to scan Midgar for their absent Guardian.

Wisely, Reno stepped out of their way as they swept past him. He smirked to himself, thinking that Midgar was about to get that much more interesting. Not two minutes since being informed about their new Guardian and Sephiroth was on the warpath.

Cool.

* * *

Done with Chapter Three on the last day of Nanowrimo. Failed this year (again) but it was fun anyways. Sorry that this chapter comes off as a bunch of filler. I was trying to answer some questions that were asked, and I'm hoping it worked out.

Ugh, and Cloud still hasn't met with Zack and Sephiroth. It was supposed to happen this chapter but it didn't. I have no idea how to pace stuff.

Thank you for all your reviews. For some reason, the site isn't letting me reply to them from my e-mail, but I've been reading them all. Hope everyone has had a great November.


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